Happy Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day 

the "unofficial" 

start to summer....  

althooooough 

this year it "officially" 

feels like 

we skipped over summer 

and ended up back in winter….

ala Vermont yesterday.

Walden, VT 5/26/13

Let's just hope this crappy weather 

isn't a hint of what is to come.  

New England's summer

 is short enough.

It's like we get a taste of summer...

an Emeril's Essence.  

The season first starts out on with a bang 
on Memorial Day.

Then it gets kicked up a notch 

on the Fourth of July.

BAM! BAM! ...and it's already Labor Day.

We have to live each summer day to the fullest, 

otherwise...

we’re standing at Customer Service...

looking for a refund. 

We have to find ways to pack everything into 

12 BANGING weeks.

So fire up that barbecue.  

Today you have a free pass 

to binge on 
burgers, buns,
beers, 
baked beans, 
and brownies. 

Woo hoo. 

Anywhooooooo......................

Last Memorial Day 

PaulA and I were having breakfast at IHOP.
While I was feasting on a short stack...

 I watched a young man 
say goodbye to his sweetie who worked there. 

(They were recently engaged and 
he was leaving for active duty.)

(I have a way of eavesdropping.)

Needless to say, my tears flooded my short stack 
as I watched their emotional goodbye.

  

I'm thinking of that young man today 

and hoping he's home this Memorial Day 

with his sweetie, family, and friends.

Memorial Day 

is about honoring the men and women 

who have served, protected, and given their lives 

for our country and our freedom. 

 Thank you, Thank you...

to all these courageous men and women.

35 days until the Fourth of July. 

Tattoo Who?

Guess who got a tattoo?

PaulA...nope

This Kat…nope

Barbie…hell yeah.

  

Barbie has gotten a little edgy over the years.  

I can totally understand why 

she would want to live 

 "outside the box."  

 I like the way Barbie has always stayed current with the times...

although at Barbie's mature age of 54,

I'm still waiting for Wrinkle Barbie.

Apparently there are some parents who are up in arms 

about the tats on Barbie…

(not to mention the t?ts on Barbie.)

Mattel addressed the "issue" saying that Tattoo Barbie 

was really designed for the adult Barbie collector.  

My sister is one of those adult Barbie collectors.  

(I wonder if Sistsersledge sneaks down to her storage room 

and plays with her collection?)

Anywhooooo……

The tats on the new Tattoo Barbie 

are not of the removable sticker variety 

found on the 2009 Tattoo Barbie.

These tats are permanent ink.  

I  hope Barbie didn't get 

"Ken" 

tattooed anywhere on her bod.  

With her on/off relationship with Ken, 

she could end up with

tattoo remorse…

you know, like Angeliena had with Billy Bob.

(It's one thing to wash a man out of your hair, 

but

quite another to wash him out from under your skin.)

Anywhooooo2

I've started wondering…(uh oh)

if I was a Barbie, 

what Barbie would I be?

Easy decision…

Blogger Barbie.  

I'd  sit at my pink laptop 

in my pink Mailbu Dreamhouse…

and crank out blogs.  

At the end of a good blogger day,

 I'd get in my pink Glam convertible 

and drive around the hood.

Every day I'd be tickled pink.

Brianna, the College Graduate

I remember the day

when I thought the year 

2013

sounded so far off….so futuristic.

Brianna was 5  years old 

and it was her first day of Kindergarden. 

That day I figured out 

Brianna would graduate from

college in 2103.  

And I thought…whew…

at least that won't be happening any time soon.

But her graduation day came…

and went...

and I'm now thinking….woah…how is that possible?

Anywhooooo

Last Friday, 

as waves and waves of 

2013 Boston University grads 

entered the arena to receive their diplomas, 

I couldn't help but get caught up in a

rip tide of nostalgia and emotion.  

That's bound to happen during a mega milestone event…

especially when

 "Pomp and Circumstance"

 is being played.  

(I'm pretty sure  that song is played to make parents shed tears.)

As I looked for Bri 
in the red sea 

of red gowns and black caps...

I pictured our Sweet Wish, 

through her school years...
with her sunny disposition,

so independent, diligent, passionate, and hard-working...

and the tears came...

nostalgic tears, 

happy tears,

proud tears.

(Cry me a Charles River.) 

And later 

after jumping for joy

I saw Bri with those same tears.

As Brianna takes her next step
into her bright future...

bri with her dad

she will carry with her a wealth of 

lasting college experiences…

 a lasting education, 

lasting memories, 
and

lasting friendships.

We are so proud of you, Brianna.

(I think i just popped all my buttons.) xo

GRADuation SEAson

Graduation season is now upon us.

From preschool to grad school…

there is a sea of grads 
wearing caps and gowns and
 marching to "Pomp and Circumstance."

This year is special because 

Sweet Wishy 

will be graduating from Boston University on Friday. 

Hard to believe our baby girl is graduating…

especially when it feels like Bri 

just skipped off toward the bus stop 

for kindergarden.

Anywhooo…..

Graduation is when 

politicians, athletes, and entertainers 

are asked by universities and colleges 

to give speeches

and bestow 

 (cultured and fresh) pearls of wisdom, 

nuggets of knowledge, 

and lumps of life lessons.

This got me thinking.....

(oh noooooo)

If I was asked to give 

a graduation speech…haha

(now that is ridiculous)

what advice would I have for 

college graduates?

hmmm....

Don't worry be happy?

stolen from Bobby McFerrin.

Choose to be happy?

stolen from Chelsea.

Follow your passion?

my passion is eating ice cream.

I think my speech would sound more like this:

Hear Me, 

Hear Me, 

Hear Me,

Friends, Romans, and  College Graduates….

Your college days may be over 

but,

hereafter and unto you…

every day will continue to be a learning experience.

And you will be tested.  

Sometimes you'll  pass with flying colors

and pull an A+,

 but there will also be times when you'll Flag it and

fail miserably.

Keep on learning.

Remember…
flunking out is not an option.

Plus you might luck out and 
get partial credit or 
graded on a curve.
(love me some partial credit and curving.)

Oh, and also remember ….
wear sunscreen.

(okay, stolen.)

ps.  We will be looking for you Wishy in the 
Sea of Grads...
cheering for YOU.

Unannounced Interruption

You find yourselves in the area and think…

“Let’s stop by and say hello to the Winkerbeans.” 

You’re good friends, 

so they should be happy to see you…

unless, of course, 

they're in the middle of something…

and you're an  

Or maybe, you're a favorable interruption

from cleaning the garage.

I have noticed that folks in the North 

don't usually stop in on each other "unannounced."

 They call and give a warning. 

That gives folks time to stop what they're doing, 

or about to do. 

It gives them time to fix their hair 

or get out of bed…

’cause it is noon already and 

“Why is your lazy ass still in bed?”

I think things are a little different down South. 

A while ago we lived in Jacksonville, Florida 

and had a neighbor, Tom, 

who lived across the street.

 When we first met Tom, 

he told us that Jacksonville was the 

“coldest place he ever lived.”

And he mentioned that absolutely every.single.time.
we saw him.

The first time our Florida doorbell rang,

PaulA and I looked at each other (huh?)

 then peeked out the window
and saw

"Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived" 

standing there

 in his shorts and flip flops, with a beverage in hand. 

So we put on smiles, opened the door,

 and wondered, "What up?"

After a few minutes of conversation 

about the weather and nothing in particular….

we figured it out.

"Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived " 
was just stopping by. 

He didn’t want to borrow our weed wacker or complain. 

 He was just being friendly and saying "hello."

(Hmm...very interesting species.)

Anywhoooo…….

People in our neck of the woods 

aren't usually dropping in on each other "unannounced."

When the doorbell rings….
it is often….just like we thought…

"Jehovah Witnesses bearing 

pamphlets, bad suits, and briefcases.”

So if you show up at my door…"unannounced."

 It might take me a minute to get to the door. 

You see, I'm peeking at you through the window.

And if I arrive at YOUR door…"unannounced." 

It’s me…

Kat "The Coldest Place I’ve Ever Lived Is Syracuse"…

just saying, "Hello."

Unannounced Visitor

Whenever our front door bell rings

or we hear a knock at the door....

PaulA and I look at each other with a quizzical look.

duh? huh? 

"Who can it be now? Who can it be now?

Who can it be knocking at my door?"

(per chance, men at work?)

Usually when our doorbell rings…

we know who'll be standing there 

because they've already called ahead 

from their cell phone.

The other day our door bell rang…and we jumped. 

I exclaimed, 

"PaulA...Who can it be now?

Who can it be now?"

I slowly opened the front door to see the 

Fed Ex man standing there 

holding a large flat package 

who wryly said,

 "pizza delivery."

(dang, I appreciate a Fed Ex man with a sense of humor.)

Anywhoooo…..

The next day there was another knock at the door.

knock, knock 

The same Fed Ex man was back…

this time with a thinner envelope.

So I asked him, "Pizza delivery?"

He responded, 

"nope, just the check, ma'am."

(2 for 2…that Fed Ex guy is good.)

knock, knock.

who's there?

Fed Ex. 

Fed Ex who?

Are you fed EXtremely up yet…with bad jokes?

Song Wedgie

I have this quirk SLASH problem…

or should I say 

"quirky problem."

I always have a song playing in my head. 

every. waking. moment.

The Today Show recently did a segment about the "phenomenon"...
calling it an "ear worm."

To me it feels me more like a 
wedgie than a worm...

I call it a 
"song wedgie." 

(A wedgie at any end is irritating.)

I'm not sure why I'm a walking iTunes.

I would be much better off
 if  algorithms
instead of rhythms 
occupied my mind.

But alas…

that would be for-not.

Luckily, 

I don't always have the same song playing in my head. 

I'm only stuck on 
REPEAT 

until I've heard another song.

Anywhooo…..

This morning I was feeling ALL THAT

 singing OUTLOUD

the latest tune 
wedged in my head…

"I'm sexy and I know it"

while 

toasting my English Muffin,

peanut buttering my English Muffin,

chewing my English Muffin.

I did take notice of the 

sideways glances I was getting

 from PaulA.

I would appreciate a little 
help
with changing the tune in my head.

Here's my iTunes password... 

CRAZYLIVESHERE

Help

Help me... 

Uhhhh OOhhh.....

a new song wedgie.

help me Rhonda, 
help, help me Rhonda...
help me Rhonda,
help, help me Rhonda.....

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

To whom it MAY concern....

this MAY First...

Rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbit

Happy May 1st

and 

Happy Birthday to Sistersledge